Dawn (book)/Chapter 2
Chapter description :Leafpaw calls out Spottedleaf's name, searching for guidance while she is trapped. However the medicine cat does not answer, and the forest remains completely silent. The silence begins to unnerve Leafpaw, until a yowl suddenly wakes her, and she is unable to recognize where she is. She notices there is a strange, shiny web under her paws, and that it seems to be surrounding her, encasing Leafpaw in an area barely large enough to move around in. This is just one of many strange dens, lining the walls of a wooden Twoleg nest. Leafpaw looks for the stars, longing to see StarClan, but only sees a small shaft of moonlight. :The medicine cat apprentice looks around for other cats, and is able to make out a dark cat two dens below her, which she quickly recognizes as not a forest cat. Leafpaw grimly realizes that the cat might be dead. She continues listening for the yowl, but cannot hear anything. Leafpaw continues to try and sniff the air, but there are no recognizable scents, and a Twoleg stench fills the nest, along with a tinge of fear scent. She wonders where StarClan is, and ponders the idea that she may already be dead, subsequently rejecting the idea. :A tabby she-cat beside her whispers that she's finally awake; Leafpaw notices that she has the unmistakable scent of a kittypet. She is unable to answer, and she remembers how Twolegs trapped her while she was hunting with Sorreltail, separating her from her Clan and trapping her in darkness. Once again, Leafpaw tastes the air, but there is only a sour tang, reminding her of the herbs that Cinderpelt often used for cleaning wounds. The voice speaks again, telling her that they must get out of the dens. Another cat across the nest answers that there is no way out, but the first voice insists that they can't just sit there and wait to die, like that other cats have been there before them. The cat notes that they must have been scared, and they need to get out before whatever happened to the previous cats happens to them as well. A different cat roughly mews that there is no way out, and the others should let them sleep. The cat's words make Leafpaw feel sick, as she does not want to die in the nest, and she falls asleep. :Leafpaw is jolted out of her sleep by a cat's voice hissing in her ear, telling her to wake up. She raises her head and looks around, noticing sunlight coming in through a hole, although it doesn't give off any warmth. The light allows Leafpaw to see the cat in the cage beside her more clearly. The medicine cats apprentice notes that the she-cat is soft and well-groomed; she becomes aware of her own unkempt pelt and concludes that the tabby is a kittypet. The she-cat asks Leafpaw if she is okay, commenting that she'd sounded like she was in pain. Leafpaw answers that she was having dreams, and realizes that her voice sounds as if it hasn't been used for a long time. She remembers her nightmare, about blood, large birds, and Feathertail, and her paws shake. Leafpaw hears a Twoleg monster awaken outside, and it brings her back to reality. :The kittypet remarks that Leafpaw looks ill and suggests that she eats. She adds that there is some food in the corner of Leafpaw's cage, which puzzles Leafpaw, as she is unfamiliar with the word cage. After a glance at the food, she declares she isn't going to eat it. The kittypet then tells her to at least get up and wash herself, remarking that Leafpaw hasn't moved ever since she was brought there. The apprentice hesitates, but the kittypet persuades her for a while, and she eventually stands up and begins to wash. She and the kittypet tell each other their names, and the kittypet, Cody, comments that the name Leafpaw is strange. Cody then explains how she got caught and tells Leafpaw how worried her housefolk would be. The two talk about where they get their food from, and Leafpaw explains what her Clan life is like. She also learns that Cody knows the kittypet Smudge, who was her father Firestar's best friend before he joined ThunderClan. Leafpaw wonders if she will ever see her father again, or if Cody will ever get another chance to talk to Smudge. Cody remarks that Firestar must be as worried about Leafpaw as Cody's housefolk are about her. :Leafpaw states that they must find a way to escape. She looks at a hole that appears just big enough for a cat to climb through, and wonders how she can get out of her cage. Cody tells her that it was useless, as she has tried before. Changing the subject, Leafpaw asks if Cody knows why they're being trapped. Cody replies that the Twolegs might think the cats get in the way of their actions in the woods, and she restates how she got caught. The pair agree that neither of them usually come to this part of the forest. :Leafpaw tells Cody that she was looking for Cloudtail and Brightheart, and that they went missing not long ago, along with a RiverClan cat, Mistyfoot. Leafpaw realizes that Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Mistyfoot could be here if the Twolegs caught them. She looks frantically around the nest, noting that the morning light is getting stronger. Leafpaw recognizes Brightheart's fur, and tries to call out to her, but is silenced by a Twoleg opening the door and walking into the nest. The Twoleg starts to open each cage and puts food and water inside. Leafpaw jumps back when the Twoleg opens her cage, but when Cody's cage is opened, the kittypet purrs and rubs against its paw. After the Twoleg leaves, Leafpaw is shocked, asking Cody why she let the Twoleg touch her. Cody responds that if she could persuade the Twoleg that she's only a poor lost kittypet, it might set her free. Leafpaw shivers at the thought of being touched by a Twoleg, knowing any Clan cat would feel the same. :Leafpaw locates the cage where she had seen Brightheart and calls out her name again. Brightheart asks who she is, and after Leafpaw calls out her name, Cloudtail greets her also. She looks for his cage, and when she finds it, she declares that they're both still alive. Then, Mistyfoot calls out to her and tells Leafpaw how she became trapped. Gorsetail, a WindClan cat, tells the others that he hid in the trap, not knowing it was one. Leafpaw asks if there are any other Clan cats here, but there is no answer. Mistyfoot states that the number of Clan cats and rogues here are about the same. Leafpaw and Mistyfoot then tell Cody what a rogue is, saying that they only care about themselves. A tom in a cage on the floor makes a scornful remark, and Cody tells the Clan cats that he used to steal from her housefolk's leftovers. After Cloudtail learns Cody knows his mother, he asks how she is. Cody tells him a story about Princess scaring new dog that had moved near her nest. She amusedly meows to Cloudtail that the dog ran away when she hissed at it. :Mistyfoot interjects, asking if they can find a way to escape. Brightheart then inquires if any cat knows what will happen to them. The rogue tom, Coal, remarks that the Twolegs didn't trap them because they like cats. Leafpaw suggests that they focus on discovering a way out. The rogue tells all of them to shut up, as the noise will bring the Twoleg back. Leafpool freezes as she hears footsteps, and a Twoleg enters with another cage. Leafpaw notices that a she-cat is inside, but she doesn't recognize the scent. To her relief, she realizes that the she-cat is not from the Clans. The Twoleg puts the cage down on top of Cloudtail's, and Leafpaw notes that the newest arrival probably won't be helpful in trying to find a way to escape, as she's a rogue. After the Twoleg leaves the nest, Mistyfoot exclaims in surprise the cat's name, Sasha. Characters Major *Cody }} Minor *Cloudtail *Mistyfoot *Gorsetail *Coal *Sasha }} Mentioned *Sorreltail *Cinderpelt *Feathertail *Smudge *Firestar *Squirrelpaw *Princess }} Errors * Brightheart is mistakenly mentioned to have tortoiseshell fur. Notes and references de:Morgenröte/Kapitel 2nl:Dageraad/Hoofdstuk 2 Category:Dawn Category:The New Prophecy arc Category:Chapter subpages